HIGH TEMPERATURE ROASTING BEEF RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Take the beef out of the fridge 1 hour before you want to cook it, to let it come up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
  2. Drizzle the beef with 1½ tablespoons of oil, season with a pinch of sea salt and a good pinch of black pepper, then rub all over the meat.
  3. Place a 25cm x 35cm roasting tray on the hob over a high heat, drizzle in 1 tablespoon of oil, then sear the beef for a few minutes, until browned all over.
  4. For the trivet, roughly chop the celery and carrots into big chunks, peel and chop the onion into wedges and break up the garlic bulb into cloves.
  5. Throw the trivet of vegetables into the tray with the bay and rosemary, jiggling the tray to coat the veg in any juices, then roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes for medium and blushing, or cook to your liking. Baste the beef halfway through and if the veg looks dry, add a splash of water to the tray to stop them from burning.
  6. Remove the beef to a platter, cover with tin foil and leave to rest while you make the gravy.
  7. For the gravy, place the tray on the hob over a medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour, then mash everything with a potato masher, scraping up all the goodness from the base of the tray.
  8. Stir in the jam, then pour over the wine and let it bubble away for a minute or two, before pouring in the stock. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down low and simmer for around 30 minutes, or until thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally.
  9. When the gravy is the consistency of your liking, pour it through a sieve into a pan, pushing all the goodness through with the back of a spoon. Keep warm over a low heat until ready to serve, skimming away any excess fat that comes to the surface, then pour into a gravy boat.
  10. Carve the beef into lovely thin slices, and serve with all the usual trimmings – delicious with Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, watercress and a dollop of horseradish.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7.
  2. Get the meat out of the fridge and leave to come up to room temperature before you cook it. Cover the porcini with 300ml of boiling water and leave to rehydrate for 5 minutes.
  3. Peel and finely chop 2 of the garlic cloves, then place in a large frying pan on a high heat with a knob of the butter. Add the porcini and half the soaking liquor, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until thick and syrupy.
  4. Squeeze in the lemon juice, stir in the remaining butter, and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Leave to cool slightly.
  5. Drizzle the beef with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with black pepper. Sear in a sturdy roasting tray over a medium heat on the hob until browned all over, then remove from the heat.
  6. Lay out the slices of prosciutto on a large piece of greaseproof paper, overlapping them slightly, making a sheet big enough to wrap around the fillet.
  7. Spread the mushroom mixture lengthways over one half of the prosciutto, then sit the beef on top. Carefully roll up, tuck in the ends, then discard the paper. Secure with butcher’s string.
  8. Squash the remaining unpeeled garlic cloves and put into the roasting tray with the herbs, then carefully place the beef on top. Cook in the oven for 25 minutes for rare, 30 to 35 minutes for medium, or 40 minutes for well done.
  9. When the time’s up, remove the meat to a board to rest for 5 minutes, pouring any juices back into the tray.
  10. Transfer the tray to a medium-high heat on the hob, pour in the wine and the remaining porcini soaking liquor (discarding just the last gritty bit) and simmer to your desired consistency, scraping up all the goodness from the bottom of the tray.
  11. Remove from the heat, and sieve before serving, if you like – I also like to whisk in an extra knob of butter for maximum silkiness.
  12. Carve up the beef and serve drizzled with the red wine sauce – delicious with celeriac and potato mash, and steamed greens.